The End of an Era - Sake Dojo Is No More...

The spring semester has finished for us in the Asian Studies Program - it was an especially challenging semester to say the least. The earthquake/tsunami/nuclear crisis caused us to lose many students. Our program Dean, who had served the university for over 40 years, retired in April and we are in a state of transition as others take on his responsibilities. Lots of big news this last semester.

But another shocking surprise was the demise of another institution of over 40 years in the area - Sake Dojo. Sake Dojo, a local watering hole and izakaya, was discovered and rediscovered by faculty, staff, students and others in the community alike. Sake Dojo was a landmark and certainly a part of the Kansai Gaidai experience. It seems most have some special Sake Dojo memories that helped them explore and understand Japanese culture a little better. Apparently with his health fading the master decided to call it quits. To say it will be missed is an understatement. But the place is survived by a Facebook page. Yes, Sake Dojo is on Facebook!

Link to Sake Dojo Facebook page: http://ja-jp.facebook.com/pages/%E7%89%A7%E9%87%8E%E9%85%92%E9%81%93%E5%A0%B4-Makino-Sake-Dojo-Hirakata/134738819922559

And here's a link to a slideshow of the food that was served at Sake Dojo: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=bqavR7jDTEc

It is strange and eerie to walk by Sake Dojo now that it is closed - it is like a ghost town. At least that is how I felt when I was taking photos of the physical building after its closure: the same sense of its style remains after the doors have closed...

Culture is always changing. This was a lesson I learned from one of my earliest anthropology courses at Michigan State University. But that doesn't make it any easier when a favorite izakaya goes out of business. We will never forget...

Spring 2011 Body/Comm Japan Beauty Poster Workshop

Spring has sprung and once again Body/Comm students are contemplating beauty in Japan: this semester's poster workshop, tempered with research and discussion, produced creative illustrations of cool, cute, sexy, and western influences combined with leg-enhancing, eye-opening, nail decorating and slim/youthful body manipulations that make up notions of contemporary beauty in Japan.

Great stuff this semester! Thanks for all of your efforts. Click here to see posters from previous semesters.

Cherry Blossom Viewing 2011

There is some tradition at VAOJ of sharing cherry blossom photos every spring; these come from near my home. Sunday was a beautiful day for walking along the stream and enjoying the scene. A local community group displays senryu poems along with the cherry blossoms every year. With all of the disasters of late, some have suggested forgoing ohanami parties this year. Maybe low key events during the day are more appropriate under these conditions. But on the other hand, some return to normality might welcome. Japanese baseball, after a postponement, started today. Let's hope cherry blossoms and Hanshin Tigers lift people's spirits.

Just in time for the new semester: Social networking and "50 Inspiring Examples of Emotional Portrait Photography"

Image borrowed from DZineblog 360.

Perhaps you have noticed that VAOJ has jumped on the social networking bandwagon with its very own Facebook page and Twitter account. This seems to be standard practice now with bloggers and a way to further connect with possible readers and/or collaborators. It also allows you to see even more what is out there in the internet in terms of photography and visual anthropology. I found this blog post about "emotional portraits" through Twitter - and it seems timely as my new visual anthropology students completed their first portrait assignment and will be working on others in the future.

Link: http://www.dzineblog360.com/2010/12/50-inspiring-examples-of-emotional-portrait-photography/

The collection here certainly has some nice and ethnically diverse photos. The text briefly talks about the photographer having control over composition. And from an anthropological perspective I wonder how representative these photos are of the individuals. In the first in-class assignment, students worked together to negotiate and take each others' portrait. Some discussed the awkward nature of this process and others seemed to hesitate at the portrait really being representative of them. Hopefully the assignment will make them further aware of their responsibilities of cultural representations.

With this in mind, please be aware that the new students' blogging efforts will begin soon. Please check out their blogs and leave feedback. I anticipate another great semester. Yoroshiku.